Below is an excerpt from Tucson  Councilmember Paul Cunningham’s newsletter about rainwater harvesting in Tucson:

July 14, 2017:

As a native Tucsonan, the monsoon season is my favorite time of year. There is nothing more magical than rain in the desert, with the drop in temperature, the smell of creosote, and the flowing arroyos. Most people I know in Tucson make it through the oven like heat of June with hopes of a good monsoon season.

Well, our hopes, prayers and good thoughts have been rewarded. Here at the Ward 2 office we have received well over 2 inches this past week and for a variety of reasons, this is good news. As I’ve mentioned before, we make extensive use of rainwater harvesting. The rain that hits the asphalt runs off to water our Palo Verde trees that shade the west side of our parking lot while the rest of our landscaping is watered by harvested rainwater that flows into basins and collects in our cistern from the roof. Given the area of our building, we have collected over 2000 gallons of water that is now saved in our cistern and ready to irrigate when needed.

Monsoon season is a good time to talk about water harvesting and how we can encourage more Tucsonans to utilize this ancient and basic technology in our neighborhoods. Rainwater harvesting made human settlement possible in Southern Arizona 3,500 years ago. The Hohokam Indians captured rainwater with rock dams and built sizable storage tanks. The Tohono O’Odham still store rainwater in earthen tanks for cattle. Here in Tucson, any chance we can use rainwater instead of potable water, we make an investment in our future.

To that end, the Mayor and Council recently directed staff to institute a program using water conservation funds to provide grants to neighborhoods and community groups in the City of Tucson. These funds are available to facilitate the installation of storm water harvesting features in their neighborhoods. The aim of these grants is to provide neighborhoods with appropriate resources to plan and implement neighborhood scale storm water harvesting projects in publicly owned areas or a homeowner association’s common area such as a right-of-way, park or other open space

Taking storm water off our streets is a good thing. Runoff causes potholes and, more importantly, causes flooding, property damage and potential loss of life. Putting that water to beneficial use is even better. One of those uses is to increase our tree canopy. By planting more trees and shading the asphalt and concrete we reduce the heat island effect (therefore reducing temperatures,). Additionally, trees absorb CO2 (helping to improve air quality and mitigate climate change) tree lined streets help calm traffic, provide habitat for birds and lizards, improve aesthetics while increasing property values.

Read the councilmember’s full article here:  https://www.tucsonaz.gov/files/ward2/newsletters/Newsletter_071417.pdf

Downtown Tucson is a hub for University of Arizona students, residents, businesspeople and visitors to enjoy the unique attractions and gorgeous weather. Photo from City of Tucson

Tucson has perhaps focused their downtown area on three major t’s: transportation, trade and tourism.

A southern Arizona paradise, Tucson draws visitors throughout the year to encounter its unique attractions and gorgeous weather. The city embraces its position as a tourism hot spot, as tourism continues to be a significant driver of the local economy. Visit Tucson is a high-performing organization that works diligently to bring tourists, conferences, trade shows, and sporting events to the Tucson area. Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild and the City Council have found a way to provide additional funding to Visit Tucson by having them share equally with the city any lodging tax dollars over and above current levels.

The continued renewal of downtown will no doubt bring even more visitors to the Tucson area. A proposed 136-room, $36 million upscale boutique hotel is proposed that will forever change the landscape in downtown Tucson and will additionally generate an influx of tourism dollars. Another highly anticipated hotel project will bring another 180 rooms right to the Sunlink Streetcar Line.

The Tucson Sunlink Streetcar is a 3.9-mile streetcar that connects major activity centers in the city. The streetcar saw its millionth passenger in May 2015. Photo from the City of Tucson

The City of Tucson is also fast becoming known as a logistics center due to I-10, I-19, and proximity to Mexico, Union Pacific Rail Line, the Tucson International Airport, and the Port of Tucson. In the International trade arena, the city has partnered with Visit Tucson to utilize their office in Hemosillo, Sonora as an extension of the economic development office located in Tucson. The city’s international trade specialist travels to the office monthly to meet business owners interested in exploring how to expand into the Tucson market.

The Tucson Sunlink Streetcar. Photo from the City of Tucson

Additionally, the city collaborates with Pima County and supports plans to construct a new limited access road from I-19 to I-10 called the Sonoran Corridor. This large infrastructure project will open up large tracts of land for industrial uses in the future, and will further solidify the Tucson region as a prime logistics center.

The city’s purposeful partnerships with other local organizations continue to bring more business and more visitors to the downtown area.

Downtown Tucson continues to be one of the hottest development markets in the region. City infrastructure expenditures and the Sunlink Modern Streetcar are certainly primarily contributors to the private investment the city is now experiencing. Downtown Tucson has been transformed in the last few years thanks to well-placed public and private investment dollars. However the lure to downtown extends beyond on-trend restaurants and housing. The area has welcomed many new businesses from the well-established to creative newcomers. These newest professional tenants have generated new construction, converted warehouses and breathed new life into historic homes and buildings. They are the next wave of newcomers to downtown Tucson and their presence will attract talented entrepreneurs and high-quality jobs to the available office space downtown.

The Rialto Theater is a mainstay of the Downtown Tucson area. Photo from the City of Tucson

The City of Tucson has driven the revitalization of downtown. Policies and incentives put in place by the mayor and city council have been geared toward turning downtown into an economic development engine. The city currently has 21 incentive tools that have made new development projects a reality in downtown.

Students are also injecting life into downtown like never before, with students from the University of Arizona’s Eller College of Management using co-working space downtown to house their student-run companies. Student-run businesses are part of a burgeoning innovation district and shared work environments are quickly becoming the new way to office for young professionals and startups.

The City of Tucson has also established the Small Business Assistance Line, which attracts callers on a daily basis. The help provided ranges from how to obtain a city business license to how to establish a new business in Tucson. The Economic Initiatives Office also staffs the Small, Minority and Women Owned Business Commission, which meets monthly to facilitate the success of small businesses.

Tucson City Hall. Photo from the City of Tucson.

The Tucson City Council have led the economic development effort for the city by proposing incentives and assistance programs, bringing new businesses to the city and supporting those that are already operating there.

Downtown Tucson is once again becoming a vibrant urban core and both seasoned and young professionals want to be part of its future.

KaBOOM! recently announced its Playful City USA honorees: communities that are leaders in “playability,” the commitment to providing balanced and active play to children.

The KaBOOM! Playful City USA program honors cities, towns and communities across America that are taking bold steps to ensure that all children, especially the 16 million American kids living in poverty, have easy access to balanced and active play in their communities. 241 cities nationwide have been recognized this year, 14 of which are in Arizona.

Playful City USA honorees include major cities such as Washington, D.C., San Francisco and Chicago. In Arizona, these honorees include cities and towns across the state. They range from nine-time honorees like Chandler, Gilbert, and Tucson, to first-time recipients like Avondale, Florence, and Queen Creek.

Tempe is once again recognized by KaBOOM! as a Playful City USA for its commitment to keeping kids active through accessible playspaces and youth sports programs.

These Playful City USA communities are making a commitment to transform their communities to become more playable by developing unique local action plans to increase the quantity and quality of play in their community. Listed below are the Arizona cities that were given the “playful” title and the number of years they have won:

Avondale: 1

Buckeye: 4

Casa Grande: 7

Chandler: 9

Coolidge: 8

Florence: 1

Fountain Hills: 5

Gilbert: 9

Mesa: 7

Oro Valley: 5

Prescott Valley: 2

Queen Creek: 1

Tempe: 7

Tucson: 9

Playful City USA Honorees in Arizona: 

To see the full list of the 241 communities named 2015 Playful City USA honorees, or for more information on the Playful City USA program, visit www.playfulcityusa.org.

Fire Prevention Week takes place during October 5-11, and during this time cities and towns in Arizona are dedicated to educating the public about fire safety. During Fire Prevention Week professionals devote their time to teaching the public about the causes of fire, how to prevent this from happening, and how to be prepared in case of an emergency.

The National Fire Protection Association has designed Fire Prevention Week to be useful for all ages. In 1871 a huge Chicago fire killed more than 250 people and left 100,000 citizens without homes. This tragedy is the reason that Fire Prevention Week exists, and this week continues to raise awareness to our communities.

Nearly all of Arizona’s cities and towns are holding events to participate in and recognize National Fire Prevention Week.

The city of Tucson has been talking with citizens all week, teaching them the importance of smoke alarms. Here is a clip of Captain Barrett Baker of the Tucson Fire Department on a local news station, discussing how to check smoke alarms: http://www.jrn.com/kgun9/shows/the-morning-blend/video/tucsonfiredepartment-278479661.html

The city of Tempe has been holding workshops at the Tempe Public Library to teach citizens how to install fire detectors and have storytimes for children to learn about fire safety. In addition, the Tempe Fire Medical Rescue Department will be having a special event on Saturday, Oct. 18 at the Tempe Fire Training Center. For more info, click here: http://www.tempe.gov/Home/Components/News/News/3108/

The city of Avondale and many other valley cities also held open houses at their fire stations, so the community could visit with firefighters, see the fire trucks and learn about the importance of preventing fires.

Fire Prevention Week is designed to make our communities safer. It is important to continue spreading awareness and providing our community with the useful information they need to continue being educated and prepared.  Find an upcoming event or training in a city or town near you or visit the National Fire Protection Association to brush up on your fire safety tips.

Tucson recently proclaimed July 28 “Buffalo Solider Resolution Day.”

The proclamation was conducted by the Honorable Jonathan Rothschild and the Honorable Richard Fimbres.

This is part of Tucson’s Buffalo Soldiers Memorial Project, which is a collaboration between City of Tucson, Ward 5, Arizona Historical Society, The Greater southern Arizona Area Chapter, 9th and 10th Cavalry Association, 9th Memorial Cavalry, Inc., 10th Memorial Cavalry, Inc., Omega Psi Phi Fraternity and Arizona Heritage Tours.

If you don’t reside in Tucson, still feel free to celebrate the Buffalo Soldiers by reading about their history below (retrieved from the Buffalo Soldier Proclamation Program):

In 1866 Congress authorized, for the first time, African Americans to serve in the peacetime army of the United States. Two cavalry and four infantry regiments were created and designated the 9th and 10th U.S. Cavalry regiments and the 38th, 39th, 40th, and 41st U.S. Infantry regiments.  The four infantry regiments later became the 24th and 25th Infantry regiments. The all-African American regiments, commanded mostly by white officers, were composed of Civil War veterans, former slaves, and freemen.

Throughout the period of the Indian Wars, about 20% of the U.S. Cavalry troopers and 8% of the infantry soldiers were African American. The Buffalo Soldiers rose above the challenges of harsh living conditions, difficult duty, and racial prejudice to gain a reputation of dedication and bravery. Thirteen Medals of Honor were awarded to Buffalo Soldiers during the Indian Wars, and five were awarded during the Spanish-American War. Stationed on the U.S. frontier from the 1860s to the 1890s, Buffalo Soldiers played a major role in the settlement and development of the American West.  Following the first Buffalo Soldiers, African American regiments later served in the Spanish-American War, Philippine Insurrection, Mexican Punitive Expedition, World War I, World War II, and the Korean War. In the 1950s, African American regiments were disbanded when all military services were integrated. At that time, for the first time, black and white soldiers served together in the same regiments.

Buffalo Soldiers were known to have played a significant historical role in at least six parks in the American Southwest:  Fort Davis National Historic Site (FODA) and Guadalupe Mountains National Park (GUMO) in Texas; Fort Larned N.H.S. (FOLS) in Kansas; and Fort Bowie N.H.S. (FOBO) and Chiricahua National Monument (CHIR) in Arizona. Buffalo Soldiers were also stationed at Fort Huachuca (still an active military installation) near Coronado National Memorial (CORO) in Arizona. Throughout these sites, the soldiers protected traffic on the San Antonio-El Paso Road, helped build Fort Davis into one of the largest posts in Texas, participated in campaigns against Native Americans, protected settlers and guarded stage stations, constructed roads and telegraph lines, and explored and mapped previously unmapped regions.  Colonel Charles Young was the first African-American to head the National Park System.

Climbing more than 6,000 feet,the Sky Island Scenic Byway begins with forests of saguaro cacti in the Sonoran Desert and ends in a cool, coniferous forest on the Santa Catalina Mountains. Prepare yourself for breathtaking views and a climate change that would be similar to driving from Southern Arizona to Northern Montana. Each thousand feet up is like driving 600 miles north offering a unique opportunity to experience 4 seasons in one trip.

The scenic drive begins at the outside edge of Tucson. If you are coming from I-10, take exit 256 and follow East Grant Road for 8 miles. Turn left onto East Tanque Verde Road and continue for three miles until East Catalina Highway on your left. The start of this scenic drive is in 4 miles as you enter the Coronado National Forest. This road is sometimes referred to as Mount Lemmon Highway or Hitchcock Highway.

If you are traveling this route in the winter, keep in mind that temperature differences from bottom to top is around 30 degrees and that upper portions may be closed due to snow. And in any season — bring water, extra clothes and gas up beforehand as there are no stations along the Catalina Highway.

As the road climbs among the Saguaro cacti and brittlebush, enjoy hairpin curves as you arrive at the Babad Do’ag Viewpoint (V1) which overlooks the desert cacti studded Tucson Valley, the Rincon Mountains, and the Tucson Basin. There are interpretive signs at the lookout and if you’re up for a longer hike — try the moderate 5-mile round trip Babad Do’ag Trail. Incredible desert vistas of saguaro, wildflowers and mountains await.

Continuing up the road, you enter the Molino Canyon. The road hugs the canyon’s cliff until the Molino Canyon Overlook (V2). The overlook offers a short hike to a creek and series of waterfalls. Towards the center of the canyon is the Molino Basin, home a campground and trailheads for a variety of hikes. Hiking here is especially fascinating due to the transition from desert to a forest dominated by cottonwood, oak, sycamore and willow trees within a very short distance.

Each turn of the road reveals a new perspective. As you enter Bear Canyon, the forest transforms once again into a lusher, cool environment with flourishing cypress, juniper, pine, sycamore, and walnut trees. Granite pinnacles soar into the sky, and with rocky outcroppings and stony hoodoos, some of Arizona’s best rock climbing is found here.

Next stop, Windy Point (V3) offers the most amazing views along the entire drive. Wind-whipped rock formations, views of the Huachuca, Patagonia, and Santa Rita Mountains, and the Tucson Basin await at 6,400 feet of elevation. On clear days, you may even see the Sierra de San Antonio in Mexico.

Geology Point Vista (V4), offers another spectacular viewpoint. Sweeping panoramas and precariously perched rocks create a surreal and photogenic landscape.

From here, you climb through forests of ponderosa pine. Rose Canyon Lake (W1) is stocked with trout and surrounded by absolute beauty; this seven-acre lake is a perfect stop for fishing, picnics, and camping in the Rose Canyon Campground. Keep an eye out for the turn off to Rose Canyon. Shortly afterwards, you arrive at the San Pedro Vista (V5) which overlooks the San Pedro River Valley, a desert between the Tortilla and Galiuro Mountains. From this stop, enjoy the 4-mile hike around Green Mountain to the General Hitchcock Campground.

Shortly after the viewpoint is the Palisade Information Center (I1). Self-guided displays inform about the Coronado National Forest and it’s a great location to get more information about hikes. Two of the most popular are the Butterfly Trail (H2) and Crystal Springs Trail (H3) with trailheads one mile from the center. Both trails are long, but you need not do the entire trail to enjoy the shaded, dense forests. Butterfly Trail (H2) features such a diverse biology, it has been designated a Research Natural Area. Wildflowers and butterflies are abundant and having a species field guide will come in handy. If you are up for a challenge, the medium-to-difficult Crystal Springs Trail will bring you to Mount Lemmon’s summit.

Experience the sky up close at the Mount Lemmon SkyCenter (A1). There are daytime and after-dark programs using their new 32-inch Schulman Telescope which is open to the public.

This scenic drive officially comes to an end as you arrive in the quaint town of Summerhaven, which features a General Store, shops and restaurants. While here, consider a few short side trips. For spectacular views in every season, Mount Lemmon Ski Valley, the southernmost ski area in the US, can be reached via East Ski Run Road. The ski hill offers an opportunity to ride the ski lift for breathtaking vistas at 9100 feet. Continue a few miles further and join onto Summit Road (T1). At the road end is the actual summit of Mount Lemmon, an amazing way to end this scenic drive.

This Archaeological park features a multi-use trail and interpretive signage about the Julian Wash archaeological site and St. Luke’s Orphanage, which also used to be at this location.

Visitors of this park will get to learn about Tucson’s 4,000-year history of continuous settlement and agriculture.

There are also bike routes within this park. Travelers have found a 40.42 mile bike ride within the area. This particular bike ride has a total ascent of 534.79 feet and has a maximum elevation of 2,814.76 feet.

Another route within the park showcases the natural beauty of the Sonoran Desert as it travels form Santa Cruz River Park to S. Rita Road in southeastern Tucson. The trail offers views of distant mountains and connects several other parks together.

Located near Tucson, Sabino Canyon tours offers a narrated, educational 45-minute, 3.8 mile tour into the foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains. The trams have nine stops along the tour with several restroom facilities and picnic grounds located near Sabino Creek. The tram turns around at Stop #9 and heads back down to the Visitor’s Center, at which point riders may remain on board and hike back down. Trams arrive on average every 30 minutes.

A variety of trails are available along the way for hiking that range from easy to challenging. The main road, one of two routes on which Sabino Canyon Tours operates its Sabino Canyon tram route, is mostly flat and paved. It can be easily navigated by visitors of all ages. The main road ascends from 2,800 to 3,300 feet and crosses Sabino Creek over 9 stone bridges. It is a favorite route for both hikers and bicyclists.

To find out more information about the different trails offered, visit: http://www.sabinocanyon.com/.

The Town of Gilbert celebrates its 2014 Playful City USA status. Gilbert is one of four cities in AZ to receive the award eight consecutive times.

KaBOOM! recently announced its Playful City USA honorees: communities that are leaders in “playability,” the commitment to providing balanced and active play to children.

The KaBOOM! Playful City USA program honors cities, towns and communities across America that are taking bold steps to ensure that all children, especially the 16 million American kids living in poverty, have easy access to balanced and active play in their communities. 212 cities nationwide have been recognized this year, 12 of which are in Arizona.

Playful City USA honorees include major cities such as Washington, D.C., San Francisco and Chicago. In Arizona, these honorees include cities and towns across the state. They range from eight-time honorees like Chandler, Gilbert, Tucson and Yuma, to first-time recipient Prescott Valley.

Tempe is once again recognized by KaBOOM! as a Playful City USA community for its commitment to keeping kids active through accessible playspaces and youth sports programs.

These Playful City USA communities are making a commitment to transform their communities to become more playable by developing unique local action plans to increase the quantity and quality of play in their community.

Playful City USA Honorees in Arizona: 

Buckeye
Casa Grande
Chandler
Coolidge
Gilbert
Maricopa
Mesa
Oro Valley
Prescott Valley
Tempe
Tucson
Yuma

To see the full list of the 212 communities named 2014 Playful City USA honorees, or for more information on the Playful City USA program, visit www.playfulcityusa.org.